Lamp wrench



March 3, 1936. M. E. DEMYTTENAERE ET AL 2,032,689

1 LAMP WRENCH Filed April 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l EWZQ MINE z;

INVENTORSL, 17/422225 fiaizzyliam ATTORNEY.

March 3, 1936. M. E. DEMYTTENAERE ET AL 2,032,689

LAMP WRENCH Filed April 23, 1935 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z if J7 INVENTORS,

ATTORNEY.

diialllv '11P!!! Tia/226.; Z. 2% .5,

Mme! Efiemyiiemm;

- March 3, 1936. M, E, DEMYTTENAERE ET AL 7 2,032,689

LAMP WRENC H Filed April 23, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORJ, filial Z. jfflyzldfldf.

James 15? kyg ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LA P WRENCH Application April 23, 1935, Serial No. 17,823

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in lamp wrenches.

An object of our invention is to provide a lamp wrench, or tool, for removing and replacing electric lamp bulbs which may be located at a height, or position, ordinarily inaccessible from the floor, without the use of a ladder.

A further object of our invention is to provide, in such a device, means for automatically gripping and releasing the lamp, as the device is pushed toward, or pulled away from, a socket in which the lamp is engaged.

,A still further object of our invention is to provide a lamp wrench having'a plurality of gripping fingers and means for inducing co-operation between the gripping fingers, so that they operate in unison, both in the opening and closing operations.

Another. object of ourinvention is to provide, in co-operation with the lamp wrench or tool, means for gripping or holding a fixture or socket, in which the lamp may be attached or connected, as with a thread, while removing the lamp from the fixture or socket, in order to prevent revolution of the fixture, while the lamp is being screwed into, or unscrewed from, the socket.

These,,and other objects and. advantages of our invention, will be more completely described and disclosed in the specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Broadly, .our invention comprises a handle or pole member, a plurality of adjustable bearing arms secured on the pole, lamp-grippingor finger members, pivotally secured on the bearing arms, spring means for normally holding the lampgripping members in open position, a tube, or sleeve slidably mounted on .the pole, clamping members secured on the slidable sleeve for engaging a shade socket or other fixture in which a lamp maybe located, and .co-operating means on the pole and the sleeve for operating the clamping members to engage or disengage a lamp fixture or socket.

A preferred embodiment oi our invention is i1- lustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:--

Fig. 1 is a partial elevational view of our device, with the various elements thereof in open or disengaged relationship.

Fig. 2 is a detail view, illustrating the operation of one of the lamp-gripping or engaging fingers.

Fig.3 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, showing the various parts in their closed, operative, or lampengaging position. m

Fig. 4 is a side, elevational view, illustrating the device gripping a lamp, and in position for disengagement of the fixture clamping members.

Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view of an exten sion for the pole and sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. I

Fig. '7 is a cross sectional View on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 9 is a plan view, illustrating a modified form of clamping members for gripping a lamp socket.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout:-

A tubular handle, or pole member I, has secured in the upper end thereof, a plurality of bearing arms 2 which are split and formed with clevises 3 at their upper extremities. formed of a, suitable bendable material, and may be bent inwardly, or outwardly, at will, to adjust the device for various sizes of lamps. Lampgripping members 4 are pivotally secured at 5 in the clevises 3, and are provided at their upper ends with resilient cap members 6 of. rubber, or other suitable material. Each of the lamp-gripping members 4 is connected by means of a U- shaped wire member 1, that islocated in an opening 8, provided in the member 4, to a common terminal member 9, which is secured to a tension spring Ill. The spring [0 is anchored on a pin II that is secured in the pole member l. The spring I0 exerts a pull on the members l, which tends normally to revolve the gripping members 4 on their axes 5 into open position, as indicated in Fig. 1, and in full lines in Fig. 2. Stop pins l2, on the members 4, engage the bearing clevises 3 to limit the outward movement of the lampgripping members 4, induced by the action of the spring 10.

The members 4 are formed with inwardly, extending finger portions l3 which, in the normal open position converge approximately horizontally toward the axis of the pole I.

In operation, the pole I is raised, or moved, toward a lamp I4. When the lamp [4 impinges against the extension portions l3 of the members 4, these members are revolved about their axes 5, against the tension of the spring [0, until the lamp I4 is firmly gripped by the rubber caps 6 and portions l3, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and in Figs 3 and 4. The lamp 14 may then be unscrewed from its socket by rotating or turning the tubular pole I about its axis.

The arms 2 are L A lamp may be inserted in a socket by a reversal of this operation, by inserting a lamp between the members 4, then, screwing into the lamp socket. A downward pull on the pole I will then release the lamp-gripping members 4, which are automatically returned to open position by the action of the spring ID. The U-shaped wire members I may serve as a stop and support for the lamp I4, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

If the lamp I4 is installed in a hanging fixture, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to unscrew the lamp from the fixture without first clamping, or holding, the fixture, as otherwise the fixture will revolve with the lamp, thus preventing its removal. We have provided means for holding a fixture or socket, while a lamp is being removed, or replaced, therein. A tubular member I5 is slidably mounted on the pole I, and is provided, at its upper end, with a fixed collar I6 to which the clamping arms I! are secured. These arms are forked at I8, (see Fig. 4), to provide clamping portions I9, which are shaped to conform approximately to the contour of a lamp shade 2I and are provided with resilient jackets 20. The arms I! are shaped to provide a spring tension, which normally retains the arms I! in a distended, or open position, as indicated in Fig. 1. They are guided between rollers 22 and 23, which are mounted in a frame 24, which frame 24 is supported on the tubular member I5, by means of a wire frame 25, and ring 25',

and moves with the tubular member I 5.

In operation, the shade-clamping device is raised into engaging proximity to a lamp shade 2|, as shown in Fig. 1, with the pins II on the pole member I, located beneath the slidable frame 24, as shown in Fig. 4. The handle, or pole member I, is then raised, relative to the tube I5, until engagement of the pins II with the under side of frame 24, which operation raises or moves the frame 24 upward, relative to the shade-clamping arms I 1, thereby forcing the arms I! inwardly into engagement with the lamp shade 2|, as indicated in Fig. 3. The pole member I is then turned axially, until the pins II will pass freely between the sides of the frame 24 and further raised, .until the pivoted members 4 firmly grip the lamp I4. Rotative movement of the pole member I will unscrew the lamp from its socket. With the lamp securely held in between and by the members 4, the member I is then pulled downwardly, relative to the tubular member I5, and engagement of the pins II on the top of the frame 24, forces the frame 24 downwardly, thus opening the shade-clamping arms II, returning them to the position shown in Fig. 1, and releasing the lamp shade. The lamp may then be removed from the members 4, and another lamp inserted-therein, and the second lamp screwed into the socket by a repetition of the process, above described, except that the pole member I will be rotated in anopposite direction, to screw the lamp into the socket. The spring arms I! are formed with the re-entrant recesses II, which allow the spring arms to open full width, as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 9, we have illustrated, in plan view, a modified form of clamping members for use with a lamp socket which may not be equipped with a shade, or reflector. The arms I9 are extended inwardly, toward the axis of the pole member I, until they cross and are secured together at the intersection 25", thus forming V- shaped clamping portions 26, which will firmly grip a lamp socket 2I.

For use in the removal and replacement of lamps installed in rooms with a very high ceiling, such as halls, auditoriums, gynasiums, and industrial plants, we haveprovided means for extending the pole members I and I5. The member I is provided, at its lower end, with detents 28. A tubular member 29 has secured, in its upper end, a block 30 which is grooved at 3I to receive a spring strip 32, formed with shoulders 33. When the block 30 is pushed into the member I, the shoulders 33 engage the detents 28, to hold the members I and 29 firmly assembled as a unitary structure, and co-operation between the grooves 3| and detents 28, provides for unitary rotation of the members I and 29 for operation of the members 4, and pins I I. A sleeve 34, provided with a collar 35, is slidably mounted on the member 29, and may be engaged on the sleeve I5, by inserting the end of the sleeve I5 in the collar 35, in which it is designed to fit snugly.

It is necessary to extend the sleeve I5, as well as the member I, as it is necessary to hold the arms I! stationary, during relative movement of the member I and frame 24.

What we claim is:-

1. An electric lamp bulb removingdevice comprising, a rod member, a tubular member in which the rod member is slidably and rotatably mounted, arm members directly connected to the rod member, lamp-gripping members pivotally secured to the arm members, a stop on the lampgripping members engaging the arm members, a spring having one end secured to the rod member, U-shaped connecting means between the other end of the spring and the pivotally mounted lamp-gripping members for causing all of the lamp-gripping members to operate in unison when the rod member is actuated in the tubular member to grip a bulb for removing the bulb from its socket, or, for inserting a bulb.

2. In a lamp bulb removing and inserting device, a tubular member, a rod slidable and tumable therein, flexible arms secured to the rod, lamp-gripping members pivotally supported on the said arms, spring-actuated means interposed between the rod and the lamp-gripping members for causing all of the said members to operate in unison when engaged by a lamp bulb, shadeclamping means comprising spring arms secured to the tubular member, a frame device movably mounted on the rod and engaging the spring arms for moving the same into their shadeclamping positions, means on the rod engaging the said frame for moving the same when the rod is turned in one position for moving the spring arms into their shade-clamping position and for disengaging the said frame when the rod is turned into another position for actuating the lampgripping means independently of the shadeclamping means.

3. In combination, in a lamp socket clamping device and lamp-gripping device for inserting and removing a lamp, a tubular member, a rod slidable and turnable therein, projections on the rod,

spring arms secured to the tubular member for clamping a lamp socket, frame means spaced from the rod engaging the spring arms for moving the said arms into or away from their socketclamping positions when engaged by the projections on the rod, arm members secured to the rod, lamp-gripping members pivotally secured to the arm members which are actuated when moved against the lamp, and spring means for actuating all lamp-gripping members,

4. In combination, in a lamp socket clamping device and lamp-gripping device for inserting and removing a lamp, a tubular member, a rod slidable and turnable therein, spring arms secured to the tubular member for clamping a lamp socket, means on the rod for moving the spring arms into or away from their socket-clamping positions, arm members secured to the rod, lampgripping members pivotally secured to the arm members which are actuated when moved against the lamp, and spring means for actuating all of the lamp-gripping members, said spring arms having moving means comprising a frame with spaced members between which the rod is located, rollers in the frame between which the spring arms are located, projections on the rod for engaging either the upper or lower edges of the frame depending whether the spring arms are to be moved for clamping or releasing the lamp socket, said projections being movable through the frame when the rod is turned for locating the projections either above or below the frame.

5. A lamp-inserting and removing device comprising a rod, a tubular casing in which the rod is located for rotatable movement for inserting and removing a lamp, bendable members secured to the rod, lamp-gripping members having curved inner surfaces that are pivotally mounted on the bendable members, a retractile spring secured on the rod with its axis in the axis of the rod, a member pivotally connected to each lamp-gripping member and to the spring for mutually moving all of the lamp-gripping members in unison, said pivotally connected members being located for supporting a lamp bulb when located in the gripping members.

6. A lamp-inserting and removing device comprising a rod, a casing in which the rod is located for rotatable movement, bendable members secured to the rod, lamp-gripping members having curves which are pivotally mounted on the bendable members, a retractile spring secured on the rod with its axis in the axis of the rod, a member pivotally connected to each lamp-gripping member and the spring for mutually moving all of the lamp-gripping members in unison, said pivotally connected members also serving to partially support a lamp bulb when located in the gripping members, means for clamping a lamp socket, and means operable by the rod for moving the lamp socket clamping means when a lamp is to be inserted or removed.

MARCEL E. DEMYTTENAERE. JAMES E. PEYS. 

